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Cochrane District Social Planning Council welcomes new Regional Coordinator

(Timmins, Ontario) – Board members of the Cochrane District Social Planning Council are pleased to welcome Rod Ryner as their new coordinator. Through his district wide professional social work practice Rod has demonstrated commitment to the region for the twenty-plus years that he has called Timmins/South Porcupine home. He shares the Social Planning Council’s commitment to the social and economic development of the region.

Rod’s commitment to life-long learning is attested to by his B.A (psychology), HBSW, Master’s degree in Social Welfare Policy and his doctoral candidate status at OESI/UT. He brings a diverse set of professional experiences derived from a mix of direct service provision as well as program development and administration. Locally, he has worked for the Cochrane District Health Council, taught for ten years as a program lead at Northern College, and most recently worked as the Aboriginal Neighbors Program Associate for the Mennonite Central Committee Ontario, North Region, providing relief and development services across Northern Ontario. Rod’s initial contact with the Social Planning Council was as a local community partner.

Rod is passionate about the added value that the Social Planning Council can bring to community building within this District and expects to be able to ‘hit the ground running’ in service to the Social Planning Council’s new Strategic Plan and Council. “I think Rod will be a good fit for this role”, says Mayor Tom Laughren , Co-Chair of the Cochrane District Social Planning council and member of Rod’s hiring committee.

The Cochrane District Social Planning Council exists to enhance and participate in social development by promoting dialogue, building awareness of social and economic issues, engaging in research and advocacy. This initiative has developed through collaboration between organizations and municipalities in the Cochrane District including the Venture Centre, the Far Northeast Training Board, the Timmins Economic Development Corporation and the Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board. A grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation has greatly supported the efforts to implement a Social Planning Council in the region.

Contact: Dave Landers, Co-Chair at 705-266-1216 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.